Mr. Baseball (1992)

Image by Universal Pictures via IMDB

Hello my friends! I have to apologize for not posting this on Friday like I said I would. Honestly, I had to take a mental health day. And the weekend wasn't much better. It's going to happen from time to time, and I apologize for that in advance. I'll try to post an extra review this week to make up for it.

Also, I lied to you last time. I incorrectly told you that Mr. Baseball came out in 1994. I should have done a quick google search because, it turns out, my memory was faulty and it came out in 1992 instead.

That's double the sins. My bad. I'll let my Totally Real Canadian Online Mistress know so she can assign the appropriate punishment.

"Bad boy. You have to watch Bonfire of the Vanities 20 times."

"Nooooooooooooooooo"

Image Source

In the early 90s, baseball was enjoying a tremendous amount of popularity, especially from me. Growing up in the great bay area in California, I was a hardcore Oakland A's fan. That was a great team, they won the AL Pennant three years in a row and the World Series in 1989, the Series that was halted due to an earthquake hitting live right before Game Three.

The Oakland A's had the "Bash Brothers" Jose Canseco and Mark McGuire, as well as Ricky Henderson, Dennis Eckersley, and manager Tony La Russa. Baseball cards were popular, with adults collecting them thinking they'd be worth something someday, as well as kids because we still did those kinds of things back then. I know they still make baseball cards, but I don't think kids collect them like they used to. But maybe that's just me.

As with most things in life, the fantasy came to an end with the Strike of 1993. Now, should the athletes get paid the money they do is beside the point of the story. When you're 10 and your favorite sports team is going on strike, because they're rich and want even more money... it's devastating. Right after this is when I really switched over to love football. Baseball would bring me back in the late 90s with the homerun chase, lose me again a few years later with the steroid controversy, then I would casually return a couple of years ago. But the damage has been done and it's never been the same.

Like an old, ratty, worn out ball, so are the dreams of my childhood

Image Source

The 90s had a lot of great baseball movies. Mr. Baseball came out on October 2, 1992, a season before the events that would lead to the strike started unfolding.

The movie is about a baseball player wonderfully played by Tom Selleck. This is the kind of role he was meant to play. Selleck is a New York Yankee and former league MVP, but he's gotten older and his skills have gone down, so the team replaces with with a hot rookie, played by Frank Thomas. Thomas was a legit baseball player, who would go on to be inducted in Baseball's Hall of Fame.

So what do the Yankees do with Selleck? Trade him. But no Major League Baseball team wants him, so Selleck goes to... the Nagoya Chunichi Dragons from the Nippon Professional Baseball league in Japan.

The rest of the movie is a classic fish-out-of-water story, where the majority of the humor comes from a brash, loud American now dealing with traditions and customs in a culture that he doesn't want to deal with in the first place. Ken Takakura plays the grumpy, serious manager for the Dragons and does a fabulous job. Aya Takanashi is Selleck's agent with the Dragons as well as a love interest, spoiler. Dennis Haysbert, before he played the President of the United States,  is in this as another American playing on the Dragons.

Selleck is forced to be in a league, on a team that he doesn't want, in a country he doesn't want to be in. This causes quite a bit of drama between himself and his teammates, especially his coach, Takakura. Tempers and traditions and even workout techniques all collide with each other.

Tell me this doesn't just scream American baseball

Image by DENTSU Music and Entertainment via IMDB

Now the question we have to ask is this: is the movie insensitive? A movie like this could very easily veer into making fun of Japanese people and culture. One look at the poster up above seems to imply that it will go in that direction. But honestly, I don't think the movie itself does. Most of the humor is from the culture clash, but I don't think it comes across as "Japanese people are stupid" or "It's funny because it's a different culture." There is a very fine line between that and what the movie does do, which is poke fun at the shock of being thrown into a different culture and having to adapt to that. Which sounds like the same thing, but isn't. Now, don't get me wrong, this is not a laugh out loud for two hours straight movie. It's not that funny. It's more like it's just an enjoyable movie to put on, where you don't have to be super critical, just relax and have fun with the ride. But I didn't find it offensive.

Same thing goes for the ending. There's two ways these kinds of movies usually go. Either Selleck goes full native, to where it's offensive (I'm looking at you The Air Up There) or the rest of the team abandons tradition and goes full American because 'Murica is always right.

Thankfully, the ending falls somewhere in between, with everyone learning and changing from each others differences, but in a positive way. Again, I felt it was completely inoffensive.

You can disagree with me if you want. It's a free country, stop bugg'n.

Image by DENTSU Music and Entertainment via IMDB

Selleck is perfectly cast in this movie. He looks and acts like, not just a baseball player from that time period, but also looks so... American... they couldn't have found someone better for this role and he owns it. Ken Takakura was the bigger shock for me. I don't recall seeing him before, but he was terrific. He played his role with power and gravity and, when it came time to expound upon his personality and backstory, he brought just the right emotional depth to the character. I really want to seek out more of his work. In fact, in doing research for this post, I found out he's been in well over 100 movies in Japan. In fact, his nickname is "The Clint Eastwood of Japan." So fly!

Aya Takanashi was another stand out to me, but as this article points out, her career never took off in the west, although she does have some roles in Japanese projects in the 90s. I've heard her role in this was also somewhat controversial in Japan, as her character sleeps with Selleck's character, a gaijin.

Takanashi was the bomb in this movie, it's a shame she wasn't bigger

Image by DENTSU Music and Entertainment via IMDB

I'm fascinated by Japanese baseball. Japan is the only country outside of North America where baseball is a big deal and something taken seriously. And I know why, historically, but... it's still super interesting to me. And I think they do a good job of showing some of the differences between the American and Japanese versions of the game.

The movie was shot on location, though none of the crowd shots were from actual games. They were all staged using extras. Those are honestly some of the best parts of the movie, as they really show some wonderful cultural differences. You get to see someone in the stands, eating ramen, at a baseball game.

The movie was not well received at the time, and only made back about half of its $40 million budget. The movie bombed in Japan, but really... the target audience anyway would be Americans.

There is also, apparently, an American fan who goes to real life games for the minor league affiliate of the Dragons, dressed as Selleck's character. Although, you will notice in this video that he lacks the trademark Selleck 'stache. He didn't go full Selleck, which normally I wouldn't recommend, but this time I would.

Final Verdict:

So, here's the thing. This is not a hidden gem. Not a diamond in the rough. Not a cult classic. Nor is it an amazing baseball movie like, say... Field of Dreams or A League of Their Own are. But it is entertaining and, like I said, I didn't find it offensive. Maybe I'm just an insensitive, white, biological male, but my feelings weren't hurt. It's a simple, entertaining baseball movie, and if that's what you're after, you'll probably enjoy it. Mr. Baseball isn't a Grand Slam, but it is a solid walk on home run.

See? I DO enjoy some movies!

Image by DENTSU Music and Entertainment via IMDB

Have you seen it? If you like baseball, or Tom Selleck's mustache, I'd give it a watch for sure. You can go to Just Watch for streaming options. Let me know how you liked it!

Okay, I know I promised that we'd move out of the early 90s last time... so how about next time we take a peak at 1998's infamous teenage erotic thriller Wild Things! Does this pseudo lesbian mystery movie manage to be wild? Or is it just another thing? Find out next time!